Liquid active substance dispenser for w.c. bowl

ABSTRACT

The dispenser comprises, for containing active substance (R) in the liquid state, a bottle ( 11 ) having an exit mouth ( 12 ) and supported by a support means ( 20 ) in an inverted position, with its mouth ( 12 ) facing downwards in a position subjected to the action of the flushing water flow. The support means ( 20 ) comprises, for containing the active substance, a reservoir ( 21 ) located in a position subjected to the action of the flushing water flow and arranged to receive the mouth ( 12 ) of the bottle, and a member ( 30 ) positioned in said containing reservoir ( 21 ) to close the mouth ( 12 ) of the bottle ( 11 ), an active substance descent passageway ( 35 ) enabling the active substance to descend in a gauged manner into the containing reservoir ( 21 ), and a ventilation passage which, when in use, connects the internal chamber of the bottle ( 11 ) to the ambient air, the containing reservoir ( 21 ) defines a volume for containing a quantity of active substance which closes said active substance descent passageway ( 35 ). According to the invention there is provided, discharging to the outside of the reservoir, a siphonic trap-means ( 40 ) having an inlet ( 42 ′) which draws liquid from the containing reservoir at a level (L 2 ) below the level of the lower outlet section (P 1 ) of the bottle mouth ( 12 ) and having a triggering level above the level of said lower section (P 1 ), said containing reservoir ( 21 ) being enclosed within a collection region ( 50 ) arranged to temporarily retain the flushing water until a level is reached such as to trigger the action of the trap-means and then release the water into the W.C. bowl.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a liquid active substance dispenser tobe housed within the W.C. bowl, and of the type comprising:

a bottle for containing active substance in the liquid state, and havingan exit mouth, and

a support means, separate from the bottle, for supporting said bottle inan 10 inverted position with its mouth facing downwards, in a positionsubjected to the action of the flushing water flow,

the support means comprising:

an active substance-containing reservoir located in a position subjectedto the action of the flushing water flow and arranged to receive themouth of the bottle,

a closure member for closing the mouth of the bottle,

at least one active substance descent passageway enabling the activesubstance to descend in a gauged manner into the containing reservoir,

at least one ventilation passage which, when in use, connects theinternal chamber of the bottle to the ambient air,

said containing reservoir defining a volume for containing a quantity ofactive substance which closes said active substance descent passageway.

BACKGROUND ART

A dispenser having the described characteristics is illustrated ininternational patent application PCT/EP02/11765.

The liquid substance contained in the bottle descends through saiddescent passageway and accumulates in the containing reservoir until itreaches or nearly reaches (but without exceeding it) the maximum level,by which it closes the descent passageway for the active substance.

Using an active substance having a sufficiently high viscosity and asufficiently small ventilation passageway, the active substance does notemerge from this passageway.

At this point, as its mouth is hermetically closed, a vacuum environmentforms in the upper part of the internal chamber of the bottle, which incombination with the external atmospheric pressure and the weight of thesubstance contained in the bottle, reaches static equilibrium, in whichthe substance does not emerge from the bottle.

When a flush is activated, the flushing water penetrates into thecontaining reservoir and carries away in small measures a part of theactive substance contained in the reservoir, to dilute it and releaseits deodorant/cleansing/refreshing/disinfectant action.

It has been observed experimentally that when a part of the activesubstance is carried away, this, probably together with the turbulenceproduced by the flush, causes a little ventilation air to enter thebottle through the ventilation passageway. This changes the equilibriumbetween the pressure in the bottle and the external pressure, to cause agauged descent of a measure of active substance, with consequentrestoration of the level in the containing reservoir.

A problem present in the dispenser is that a little flushing waterremains in the top of the containing reservoir to replace that part ofthe active substance R which was carried away; this water which remainsin the top of the reservoir is then partly drawn, together with theventilation air, into the bottle where the pressure is less than thatoutside; the result is that that as the number of flushes produced bythe user increases, the active substance becomes increasingly diluted,until its percentage is excessively low compared with the water, to thepoint that the positive action of the active substance gradually fallsin intensity in an unacceptable manner. This problem is avoided byproviding, in the containing reservoir, at least one drainage apertureof gauged passage size such as to enable water to pass while preventingpassage of the active substance.

However this solution is not always effective as its success depends onvarious physical-chemical values of the substance, on the ambienttemperature, on exact constructional dimensions, and on the geometricalform of the W.C. bowl, all factors which it is difficult to control.

An object of the present invention is therefore to improve dispensers ofthe aforesaid type in such a manner as to solve said problem of dilutionof the active substance contained in the bottle by an effective andreliable solution.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

These and further objects are attained by the invention as characterisedin the claims.

The invention is described in detail hereinafter with the aid of theaccompanying figures, which illustrate one embodiment thereof by way ofnon-limiting example.

FIG. 1 is a section through a first embodiment of the dispenser of theinvention taken on the vertical plane of symmetry I-I of FIG. 2

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the support means of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a section on the plane III-III of FIG. 2.

FIG. 3A is an enlarged detail of FIG. 3.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the support means of FIG. 1, without thebottle.

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 3A, showing a second embodiment of thetrap-means.

With reference to the first embodiment, shown in FIGS. 1-4, thedispenser of the invention (indicated overall by 10) comprises a bottle11 for containing, in its internal chamber, an active substance R ofknown type in the liquid (more or less viscous) state, able to cleanseand/or deodorize and/or air-refresh and/or disinfect, and provided withan exit mouth 12 for the active substance R.

The dispenser 10 also comprises a support means 20 having a usualhooking means 28, in the form of a hook-shaped elongate element ofelastically flexible material, by which it is hooked to the upper rim 8of a W.C. bowl 7, and able to support said bottle 11 in an invertedposition with its axis vertical or nearly vertical and its mouth 12facing downwards, in a position subjected to the action of the flushingwater flow.

The bottle 11 is separate from the support means 20 and is associatedwith it in order to be located in the W.C. bowl.

The entire dispenser 10, including the bottle 11, is to be housed withinthe W.C. bowl 7 against its inner surface 71, below its upper rim 8 andexposed to the action of the flushing water flow. Usually, the waterflow emerges either along the rim 8 from holes provided in its lowerpart, or from a rear central mouth of the bowl and made to flow in atangential direction along the inner surface 71, below the rim 8.

The support means 20 comprises, for containing the active substance, areservoir 21 with an upwardly facing concavity, located in a positionsubjected to the action of the flushing water flow and arranged toreceive the mouth 12 of the bottle, and further comprises a closuremember 30 positioned in said containing reservoir 21 to close the mouthof the bottle 11.

The containing reservoir 21 comprises a lower base wall 25 having anupper surface, on which the active substance collects, and asubstantially vertical side wall 22, which extends upwards from thelower wall 25 and passes through a round angle about the mouth 12 of thebottle to define a volume for containing a quantity of substance. Theinner diameter of the side wall 22 is greater than the maximum outerdiameter of the exit mouth 12, so that this can be contained within theside wall 22 at a short distance from it.

Preferably, said closure member 30 is in the form of an upwardly facing,substantially cylindrical or slightly frusto-conical tube piece coaxialwith the bottle 11, its lower end being joined to the base wall 25 andbeing closed thereby. The tube piece 30 has an upper end 30′ whichprojects upwards beyond the exit mouth 12 of the bottle when associatedwith the support means 20, the exit mouth 12 being in geometricalrelationship with the tube piece 30 such that its inner surface sealedlyembraces the lateral surface of the tube piece 30.

In the illustrated embodiment, with said closure member 30 there isassociated a passageway 35 enabling the active substance R to descendfrom the internal chamber of the bottle 11 to the containing reservoir21, the quantity of active substance collected by this latter being suchas to close said descent passageway 35.

The descent passageway 35 for the active substance is defined by agauged vertical corridor formed by a valley provided in thecross-section of the outer lateral surface of the tube piece 30,starting from a point within the chamber of the bottle 11 andterminating below the exit mouth 12 of the bottle 11; said corridor 35extends along the entire height of the tube piece 30.

The dispenser comprises at least one ventilation passageway 31 which,when in use, connects the internal chamber of the bottle 11 to theambient air. This ventilation passageway is preferably separate from thedescent passageway 35 for the active substance R.

In the illustrated embodiment, the ventilation passageway 31 is definedby a gauged vertical corridor formed by an arched valley provided in thecross-section of the outer lateral surface of the tube piece 30,starting from a point below the exit mouth 12 of the bottle andterminating within the chamber of the bottle 11; said corridor 31extends along the entire height of the tube piece 30.

The reservoir 21 is arranged to contain a determined maximum level ofliquid (indicated by L1 in FIG. 3A), and to contain the exit mouth 12 ofthe bottle 11, with its lower end exit section (indicated by P1 in FIG.3A) positioned below the maximum liquid level L1.

The upper end edge of the side wall 22 determines the maximum level L1of the liquid which collects within the reservoir 21.

The side wall 22 possesses a number of wall extensions 22 b in the formof crenellations, which project upwards beyond the upper edge of thewall 22 to define a resting means for the body 13 of the bottle 11 inorder to position the bottle mouth 12 in a predetermined and precisegeometrical relationship with the tube piece 30 and the reservoir 21.The bottle 11 possesses a shoulder 13′, from which there projects acylindrical neck 14 carrying the mouth 12 at its end. The crenellationsformed by the extensions 22 b surround the mouth 12 and neck 14 of thebottle 11 when in an inverted position, to supportingly receive theshoulder 13′ on their upper end edges; when in this position the mouth12 is inserted into the reservoir 21, with its lower exit section P1lying at a level less than the maximum level L1.

In detail, the mouth 12 comprises an annular element 12 a rigidly fixedto the end of the neck 14, to which there is joined a circular disc 12 bfor hermetically closing the passage port for the active substance R.

The lower end surface of the element 12 a defines the lower end passagesection P1. This section P1 lies a small distance from the upper edge ofthe lateral wall 22 of the reservoir 21, so that a narrow passageway(indicated by F) remains defined for the flushing water towards theconcavity of the reservoir 21.

Specifically, the tube piece 30 is cut in an inclined manner to form anupper point which projects upwards by an extent such as to penetratethrough the mouth 12 of the bottle when placed in its position of use.To dispose the bottle 11 in its position of use, it is inserted andpushed manually downwards to cause the tube piece 30 to penetrate intoit so that the point of the tube detaches or tears the circular disc 12b away from the annular element 12 a, to enable the active substance Rpresent in the bottle 11 to descend through the exit mouth 12. Thesupport means 20 together with the thus coupled bottle 11 is then placedin the W.C. bowl such that the base wall 25 lies substantiallyhorizontal or nearly so, and the flushing water fed into the W.C. bowlstrikes the region in which the reservoir 21 lies.

According to the invention, a siphonic trap-means 40 is provided havingan inlet which draws liquid from the containing reservoir 21 at a levelL2 lower than the lower outlet section P1 of the bottle mouth anddischarges to the outside of the reservoir 21.

The trap-means 40 comprises a vertical conduit 41 joined to the basewall 25 and passing through it, its lower section defining the outlet ofthe trap-means. Above the vertical conduit 41 there is positioned a cap42 having its concavity facing downwards to cover the upper mouth 41′ ofthe conduit 41, and its lower edge 42′ positioned at a lower level thanthe upper mouth 41′ of the conduit 41. Said lower edge 42′ defines theinlet mouth of the trap and is positioned at said level L2 which islower than the level P1.

The upper mouth 41′ of the conduit 41 defines instead the triggeringlevel. i.e. the minimum level which the liquid must exceed to triggerthe syphon action; said mouth 41′ is positioned at a level higher thanthe level of the lower section P1 of the mouth P1 and also higher thanthe level L1.

In plan view, the side wall 22 extends as a closed ring which partlypasses about the tube piece 30 at a distance therefrom and partly passesabout the trap-means 40 at a distance therefrom, so as to enclose bothwithin the containing reservoir 21.

The containing reservoir 21 is enclosed within a collection region 50arranged to temporarily retain the flushing water until it reaches alevel such as to trigger the action of the trap-means 40, and then torelease the water into the W.C. bowl.

Said collection region comprises a horizontal platform 51, which inpractice is a prolongation of the base wall 25 and surrounds thecollection surface of the reservoir 21, which platform is itself joinedto a substantially vertical side wall 52 which surrounds the entireplatform 51 and the reservoir 21, at a distance from the lateral wall 22thereof; the wall 52 is provided with a number of wide apertures 53 forpassage of the water, these reaching the level of the platform 51.

The liquid substance R contained in the bottle 11 descends through the(open) mouth 12 and fills the internal closed space of the tube piece30; this substance flows outwards only through the corridor 35, fromwhich it descends into the reservoir 21 where it accumulates until itreaches the level of the section P1, but without exceeding the maximumlevel L1. Using an active substance R having a suitable viscosity (forexample 1000-3000×10⁻² poise), it has been found that if a sufficientlysmall ventilation passageway 31 is provided, the active substance R doesnot descend along the passageway 31.

At this point, as the mouth 12 is hermetically closed, a vacuumenvironment forms in the upper part D of the internal chamber of thebottle 11 above the level of the active substance R, which incombination with the external atmospheric pressure and the weight of thesubstance contained in the bottle, reaches static equilibrium, withoutthe substance R emerging from the bottle 11.

When a flush is activated, the flushing water runs along the reservoir21 and carries away with it a small quantity of the substance Rcontained in the reservoir 21, to dilute it and release itsdeodorant/cleansing/refreshing/disinfectant action into the bowl 7.

The same flush of water temporarily fills the collection region 50 andalso the cap 42, to hence trigger the action of the trap-means 40, afterwhich it rapidly leaves through the apertures 53, which are suitablydimensioned to enable the water to drain quickly; however a small amountof water remains within the top of the reservoir 21 to replace that partof the active substance R which has been washed away by the flush. Thiswater lying in the top of the reservoir 21 is quickly drawn out by theaction of the trap-means, triggered by the flushing water, which ceaseswhen the liquid level in the reservoir 21 falls to the level L2.

Two important effects are obtained by this. The first effect is that theupper layer of liquid consisting mostly of water is extracted from thereservoir 21, while the lower layer all substantially consisting ofactive substance is left; this hence avoids or at least considerablyreduces the risk of the water of the upper layer being drawn into thebottle interior by the vacuum present therein, which would increasinglydilute the active substance in the bottle interior during use, to avalue which would no longer provide an acceptable action.

The inlet level L2 of the trap is set at a distance from the level ofthe lower section P2 of the mouth such that a large part of the upperlayer of liquid formed mostly of water is removed from the reservoir 21,to leave within the reservoir the liquid formed essentially of activesubstance.

The second effect is that as the level L2 is set slightly lower than thelower section P1 of the mouth, when the liquid in the reservoir 21reaches this level, the ventilation passage 31 is temporarily freed sothat a little ventilation air enters the bottle 11 through thepassageway 31 and reaches the top D of the chamber of the bottle 11.This changes the equilibrium between the pressure in the bottle and thepressure outside the reservoir 21, to cause a gauged descent of theactive substance R into the reservoir 21 until, on exceeding the levelP1 of the mouth 12, it again closes both the descent paassageway 35 forthe substance and the ventilation paassageway 31, with consequentrestoration of the level in the reservoir 21. In this respect, thedifference between the trap inlet level L2 and the level of the mouthlower section P2 determines the quantity of active substance which isdispensed by the bottle 11 to the reservoir 21, and can therefore besuitably gauged for this purpose.

A still further advantage of the present invention is that as thetrap-means 40 extracts the more liquid upper layer from the reservoir21, this layer is prevented from continuing to drip out of the reservoir21 and then into the W.C. bowl after the flow of flushing water hasceased, as occurs in dispensers of known type; this dripping is aproblem felt in particular when the active liquid is of intense colourand drips onto the inner surface of the bowl to soil it by leaving uglytraces.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3A, the cap 42 is a piece which isconstructed independently of the support means M and possesses a numberof radial fins 43 provided in the interior of the cap without hinderingwater passage, and by which it is fitted to the upper end of the conduit41 by forcibly mounting the inner edge of the fins 43 over this upperend.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, the cap 42 is a piece which is formedin one piece with the bottle 11, to which it is joined by a vertical web44, and becomes associated in correct manner with the conduit 41, todefine the trap-means 40, when the bottle 11 is fitted in itsutilization position to the support means 20.

Numerous modifications of a practical and applicational nature can bemade to the invention, but without leaving the scope of the inventiveidea as claimed below.

1. A liquid active substance dispenser for a W.C. bowl, to be housedwithin the W.C. bowl, comprising: for containing active substance (R) inthe liquid state, a bottle (11) having an exit mouth (12) for the activesubstance (R) and a support means (20), separated from the bottle (11),to support said bottle (11) in an inverted position, with its mouth (12)facing downwards in a position subjected to the action of the flushingwater flow, the support means (20) comprising: for containing the activesubstance, a reservoir (21) located in a position subjected to theaction of the flushing water flow and arranged to receive the mouth (12)of the bottle, at least one active substance descent passageway (35)enabling the active substance to descend in a gauged manner into thecontaining reservoir (21), at least one ventilation passage (31) which,when in use, connects the internal chamber of the bottle (11) to theambient air, said containing reservoir (21) defining a volume forcontaining a quantity of active substance which closes said activesubstance descent passageway (35) characterised by comprising,discharging to the outside of the reservoir, a siphonic trap-means (40)having an inlet (42′) which draws liquid from the containing reservoirat a level (L2) below the level of the lower outlet section (P1) of thebottle mouth (12) and having a triggering level above the level of saidlower section (P1), said containing reservoir (21) being enclosed withina collection region (50) arranged to temporarily retain the flushingwater until a level is reached such as to trigger the action of thetrap-means and then release the water into the W.C. bowl.
 2. A dispenseras claimed in claim 1, characterised by comprising a cap (42) with itsconcavity facing downwards to cover the upper mouth (41′) of a conduit(41) which passes through the base wall (25) of the containing reservoir(21), said upper mouth (41′) defining the triggering level of thetrap-means (40).